


Game Changers

by thegirlwiththedeathlyhallowstattoo



Category: Drarry - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 23:47:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11451582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlwiththedeathlyhallowstattoo/pseuds/thegirlwiththedeathlyhallowstattoo
Summary: Harry Potter didn't know what to expect when he returned for an 8th year. Definitely not that.





	Game Changers

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever guys so feel free to leave any comments or suggestions!!

“Malfoy what the hell?”  
If Harry had trusted in Divination he would have said this was a terrible omen for his final year at Hogwarts.  
Harry wasn't the only one surprised to see him. There was an outbreak of murmuring as Draco Malfoy had strolled nonchalantly into the entrance hall the morning after the sorting ceremony. He looked in the directions of Harry’s exclamation and merely smirked and headed off to his first class of their so-called 8th year.   
As it happened that also turned out to be Harry’s first class. When he walked into advanced potions he was surprised to see Malfoy already sitting in front of his cauldron with his book out. Though he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised that Malfoy had enrolled in the class he had always performed best in. Harry was burning with curiosity and before he could rethink his decision he plopped himself down next to Malfoy.  
The other boy barely even reacted. “Potter,” he greeted with a kurt nod. He was engrossed in his potions text.  
“Uh, hi,”  
Malfoy snorted and finally looked up from his book “Eloquent as always Potter. I really missed that Grade A wit,” Though it lacked the usual venom from years previously and it was accompanied by a smile.   
Harry stared at him with his mouth open. He hadn’t seen, heard from, or heard about Malfoy since he had testified at Malfoy and his mother’s trials during the rebuilding period after The War. He only did so because he knew it was the right thing to do and definitely not because he still thought about Malfoy more often than would be considered strictly necessary. Both their actions had allowed him to survive and kill Voldemort. It was only right that they didn’t rot in Azkaban. Though he was glad Lucius would. After the trial ended he and Malfoy had exchanged a few polite words and Harry had returned his wand. After that Harry had never expected to hear from him again. Now here he was teasing Harry like an old friend.   
“Earth to Potter, are you ok?”  
Harry was snapped back to his senses and realized he had been staring straight ahead for a full minute. “Oh sorry you just took me by surprise I guess”  
“You came over to me?”  
“Oh. Uh. Yeah you’re right”  
Malfoy smiled and rolled his eyes “What did you want Potter?”  
Oh right. He’d come over here for a reason. “Want to be partners?”  
Malfoy’s cheerful and friendly exterior seemed to fade away for a moment to reveal something Harry couldn't quite place. “Why?” he asked suspiciously.   
Oh. That look had been insecurity. That was not a look he was used to seeing on Malfoy. It was oddly endearing. “Because” Harry replied quickly “You’re way better at potions than me and I need all the help I can get,”   
This wasn’t entirely true. His original intention had been to ask Malfoy why the hell he came back to Hogwarts but this new Malfoy was almost...pleasant. And it was true that Malfoy could help him do well this year.  
Malfoy beamed “You know Potter, I’d have killed to hear an admission of my superiority years ago. Who would have thought it would happen as soon as I stopped caring,”  
Harry tried to suppress a grin, along with an odd stirring that seemed to be related to how nice Drac- er, Malfoy’s smile was. Wow, where did that come from?   
Harry went to gather the ingredients and the rest of class went off without a hitch. That is if sometimes getting distracted by Malfoy’s piercing grey eyes and blushing furiously when he smiled at him weren’t considered a hitch.   
After class they were still chatting and suddenly Malfoy got very quiet.   
“What’s up?” Harry was slightly concerned about the sudden tone shift. Had Malfoy just been messing with him and was really still his old snobbish self? And if so why was Harry so upset about it?  
“I’ve been putting off an apology” he replied with his hands fumbling in front of him as he stared determinedly at his shoes. “But you really deserve one from me. For how I acted during The War and before and-”  
“Stop.” Harry held up his hand. Before today he would have loved to make Malfoy grovel for forgiveness. However their conversations that day as well as the one after the trial and the fact that he had attempted an apology was enough to convince Harry Malfoy had grown up. He had realized that he just didn’t want to put him through that. Hm. Maybe he had matured too.   
“We both did things we’re not proud of” Harry paused for a moment and shuddered slightly thinking of sectumsempra “But I forgive you if that’s what you want,”   
Malfoy looked beyond relieved and Harry idly wondered what he could do to make Malfoy look that happy again. He quickly shook that thought out of his head and then looked back at Malfoy   
“Alright Draco, lets head to lunch”  
Draco looked shocked but pleased at the switch to his given name but seemed to think of something that quickly deterred him “What about the Weasel and Granger?”  
Harry had already thought of that. He offered a small smile and replied “They might be a bit stunned but I’ll vouch for you. After all you’re new and improved,”   
That seemed like enough for Draco as he chuckled and traipsed along after Harry to the Great Hall.   
A little while later, after Draco had apologized to all of Harry’s friends, (Ron had taken a little longer to accept than Hermione Ginny and Luna, old habits die hard) conversation was roaring at the Gryffindor table and everyone discovered to their astonishment that the now humbled Draco Malfoy fit in with their group very well. He was very funny when his jokes weren’t at someone else’s expense and he seemed to have a flair for storytelling. By the time desserts appeared on the table everyone was laughing with Draco as if he’d been in the group for years.   
Harry wasn’t quite listening however. He was enticed by Draco and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away even for a second. Ginny had broken up with him after they made an attempt at a relationship after The War. She had taken pity on him; she could tell his heart just wasn’t in it but knew that he was too noble to ever leave her. I occurred to him that the way he felt about Draco after today could have something to do with that but that was a conversation to have with himself in the future. The far future. Feelings were never his strong suit.   
Draco caught him staring and gave him an adorable smirk. Harry figured he better join the conversation so as to not seem any more abnormal than he actually did. He could feel his friend's eyes on him as they followed Draco’s gaze and he blushed.  
“This is just bizarre” he blurted out “us talking like we’re friends ya know? Who would have thought?” he finished with a weak chuckle.  
Draco seemed to realize he was just talking for the sake of talking but slowly an evil grin spread over his face. It made Harry very nervous for some reason.  
“Oh really Potter? We’ve never talked as friends before?” His grin was positively wicked now and Harry felt himself break into a sweat. He reached for his pumpkin juice in order to diffuse the tension. He had no idea where Draco was going with this. Everyone was staring at them in anticipation. It seemed whatever was about to be said would be groundbreaking. Suddenly Hermione’s eyes got huge as if she knew what Draco was going to say a second before he said it. “Not even on Christmas during second year?”  
The response was astounding. While Ginny and Luna merely sat there looking puzzled, Hermione burst out laughing, Harry spit his mouthful of juice all over the table and Ron gasped, inhaling the pudding he was eating and choking.  
Draco was warmly guffawing as Hermione thumped Ron on the back repeatedly. Harry finally gets over his shock and slowly starts to allow himself to appreciate how funny it really was. “You knew it was us and you never said anything?” Harry struggled to get it out through laughter.  
“I knew one day it would come in handy”  
With that statement Harry finally lost it. He folded in half with laughter and when he could finally speak again he was wiping tears from his eyes. “You were a conniving bastard even at the age of twelve” which earned him another dazzling smile along with an eyebrow wiggle (Merlin, have mercy)  
“If we were all noble Gryffindors life wouldn’t be any fun” Draco retorted.  
The rest of dinner was spent explaining to Ginny and Luna exactly what had happened on Christmas six years ago, from both points of view.   
After dinner Draco fancied a walk around the grounds, claiming he wanted to look at the Quidditch pitch to make sure it was acceptable, even though the returning 8th years couldn’t play for their house teams. When Harry offered to accompany him. He had a mischievous look in his eye when he agreed.   
They walked in a comfortable silence for a while before Harry’s burning question left from him “How did you know it was us?”  
Draco looked exasperated but chuckled as he said “For Merlin’s sake Harry, you literally started to turn back into yourselves while I was talking to you. How many red haired sidekicks do you think I’m acquainted with? Then I found Greg and Vince asleep in a closet later. Not to mention Granger was half cat the next day and that’s transfiguration way beyond anyone we knew at the time so it had to be a potions accident,”  
Harry was gaping up at him, mouth hanging open. He couldn’t believe he and Ron had thought they were so slick. And here Draco figured it out that quickly.   
“Wow,” he finally said “I knew you were brilliant but I didn’t know you were that brilliant,” He shook his head in utter disbelief.  
“I’m glad to hear you say that” Draco shot back at him quickly. He looked like he was stealing himself to do something. “Because I’m about to do something pretty damn stupid,”  
Before Harry had time to process this statement the taller boy had grabbed his chin and bet down to press his lips firmly against Harry’s. Harry’s breath caught for just a moment before he melted into the kiss, deepening it and wrapping his arms around Draco’s shoulders, tangling his hands in the fine white-blonde hair that was glowing in the setting sun. He had know idea how long this went on for but when he pulled away he was breathing like he’d just run a marathon. As he started into those grey eyes he allowed his happiness to show across his face, and saw it mirrored in Draco’s. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that” the blonde boy said breathlessly, and then a pink tinge crept up his face as he realized he’d said it out loud.  
“Well then you’re very lucky” Harry said cheekily while he linked their fingers together and started to drag Draco forward to continue their walk. “Because only earlier today did I realize that kissing you was what my life was missing,” and he winked at Draco.   
They returned to the comfortable silence, strolling around the grounds in the fading light, hand in hand, sneaking kisses every few paces.   
As they returned to the castle Harry looked down at the pale, delicate fingers in between his own tanned calloused ones.   
If Harry had trusted in Divination he would have said this was an amazing omen for his final year at Hogwarts.


End file.
